


Darkness in the Heart of Town

by pi314159geek



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Fix-It, Rumple doesn't either, the one where Belle doesn't randomly renege on 3 seasons of character development
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28738173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pi314159geek/pseuds/pi314159geek
Summary: Fix-it for 4x14. In which Rumplestiltskin masquerades as Hook to get the dagger back, but Belle, as always, surprises him with her choices.
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Comments: 9
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Never really understood *what* was going through Rumple's head when he picked Hook, of all people, to disguise himself as. Maybe he thought that because Belle saved Hook from him, that equals Belle trusting Hook more than she trusts him. But no, no she doesn't. Especially not rewatching S2-3.
> 
> What follows is how I think Belle would've actually reacted to her husband's nemesis politely requesting complete & utter control over him. (The answer is: not well).

"Killian! Hey," Belle closed the ancient laptop and slid it under the shop counter. It was a hand-me-down from Emma, once she'd saved up enough cash from her sheriff's salary to buy a newer one. The thing was quite slow if you wanted to access anything on the — the _Internet_ , Belle was proud of herself for remembering the strange term — but for basic typing, it was fine. Ever since the Snow Queen's averted curse, she'd been throwing herself into any and every project that came up, desperate for something to take her mind off of…well, off of the thing that Killian's presence was currently reminding her of.

"Hey, love," the pirate said, without any of his usual relish. He seemed oddly subdued today, which was doubly strange because it was a Friday night. Belle would've expected him to be taking shots down at the Rabbit Hole with Leroy — not visiting the deserted pawnshop on its lonely little corner of the Storybrooke town square.

_Wait. Muted emotions, strange behavior, what if…_

"Killian, are you sure someone didn't steal your heart again?"

He smirked slowly. "Well…"

"You know what I mean."

"Alright, fine," Hook threw up his hands — or, his hand and his hook. "No. I'm quite sure it's still intact."

"Good," Belle said, smiling a bit despite herself. "So why the visit?"

His expression turned serious, and Belle braced herself. "If he's back—"

"He?" Hook asked innocently.

"Rumple."

Killian's expression became unreadable, an oddly complex look on someone who was usually either angry or drunk-ecstatic. "Right. No, he's not back in town. Regina said she'd know if he was. She just sent me to make the backup plan."

"The backup plan," Belle repeated blankly.

"Aye. If he comes here — and he will, since you have his dagger — well, he knows how you think, love. He knows you better than he knows any of us. It's got to be hidden by…by someone other than you. Makes it harder for him to find it."

Belle's heart leaped into her throat, and she swallowed hard. "And who are you suggesting?"

"Give it to me," the pirate said, with just a _bit_ more relish than Belle was comfortable with. Suddenly the intensity lifted from his face, and he laughed lightly, spreading his arms casually. "Well, come on, love, who better to keep hidden treasure than a pirate?"

Belle studied his face. "Why do you care?"

He dropped his arms and leaned forward across the counter. "Whatever happened between us before…you saved my life, Belle. Let me return the favor."

_If Rumple comes back, I'll face him myself. He deserves that much from me_.

"He wouldn't hurt me," Belle whispered.

The pirate pulled back. "What?"

"I said, he wouldn't hurt me," she repeated, becoming more sure of herself by the moment.

Killian stared at her. "You really believe that," he muttered, and was that a note of admiration in his voice?

Belle met his gaze evenly. "Whatever Rumple is capable of doing—"

"He killed—"

" _Yes_. I know. You told me. In great detail." Belle took a deep breath. She really wanted nothing more than for Hook to shut up and leave. Hearing a litany of Rumple's past sins would _not_ help her face him. "Killian, I appreciate the offer. And I understand why you're so eager to pay back a favor — better than most, actually. But—" she raised a hand to cut him off — "unlike my- my husband, I don't keep a ledger of debts. Consider yours cleared. What I did was just a friend helping a friend."

Hook's eyes narrowed. "All right, love. I thank you. But, the dagger."

"I'm the —" _You are_ not _the only person he trusts. Not after…_ "I _was_ the only person he trusted here. It's either that or give it to a teenager, which he would never want me to do. Not to Baelfire's son."

A flicker of grief passed over Killian's face, and Belle remembered that he'd practically fathered Bae for a time. "And I imagine _you_ wouldn't want to do that, either," she added more quietly, feeling a bit guilty for the low blow.

"Indeed. No boy should be saddled with that," Killian sighed, shaking his head. "Even still," he continued abruptly. "What if he comes back and you give that dagger back to him? He'll unleash hell on the town and—"

"I shouldn't have it anyway. No more than _he_ should have taken your heart and used it to control you."

Hook gawked. "So, if he came back, you'd just…give it to him? Just like that?"

Belle frowned at him, and Hook's apparent shock melted into anger. "How can you call yourself a hero when you won't protect this town?" he demanded, but the words lacked Hook's usual fire.

"How can _you_ call yourself a hero when you want to take away someone's free will?"

The two of them glared at each other mutely.

Finally, Belle steeled her gaze and set her shoulders. "Find another backup plan."

"Uh…" Hook stepped back away from the counter, abruptly breaking their staredown. "Right. Sure, love." He stumbled out of the shop, tripping into the corner of a cabinet and narrowly avoiding knocking over several shelves of trinkets.

Belle watched him go. Maybe he _was_ drunk after all.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin stumbled into the alleyway behind his own shop, bracing himself against the brick wall.

_What do I do now?_


	2. Blood and Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumplestiltskin heads to his favorite rendezvous point, the cabin in the forest. We also meet 3 familiar faces and 1 familiar object.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand we are extending this into a…13-ish chapter fic?
> 
> Sorry this took a bit to post. I needed time to develop a full plot, and then I had a case of 2nd-chapter anxiety because "what if some people don't like this plot direction" and "I don't wanna retcon my own fics," but…it's here now. Enjoy!

"Back already?" Cruella taunted. "Thought your heartfelt reunion with your little maid would take a bit…longer, if you know what I mean."

"I suggest you don't attempt subtlety, my dear. It's never looked good on you," Rumplestiltskin shot back. He flexed his left hand. To the Queens of Darkness, it probably looked like he was about to call some terrible curse down on their heads — which, it never hurt to remind them that he _could_ — but really he was just grateful to have all five fingers back. A missing hand could be a serious hindrance when it came to weaving spells. _Good thing the pirate's simplistic brain can't fathom any form of revenge other than murder_ , he thought. _If his goal was to cut off my hand instead of kill me, he might actually have succeeded. And that would just be annoying._

"Well? Did you find it?" Maleficent asked. Ah, he could appreciate a pragmatic sorceress.

"Right where I left it," he said. Slowly, he held up his right hand. Then, with a great dramatic flourish, he undid the glamour on that hand, revealing the magic gauntlet. (The sudden erratic _thump-thump_ of his heart reminded him that he really needed to lay off the theatrics, or at least theatrics of a magical nature. He didn't have much time left).

He hated to admit it, but he really did need these three witches. If they didn't agree to his plan now…

"Give that to me," Maleficent snapped.

Rumple hid his momentary concerns and smirked. "What's the hurry, now?"

Irritably, she snatched the gauntlet from his hands, closed her eyes, and focused.

All three of them waited. Cruella blinked, shrugged, and took a swig of gin. Feigning boredom, Rumple selected a bottle from the cabin's pitifully small liquor cabinet. The _drip drip_ of water from Ursula's inflatable kiddie pool was audible.

Finally, Rumple broke the silence. "Magic troubles? I sympathize," he said, placing a hand over his heart in mock sincerity. The irony of the gesture was not lost on him. "What are you asking it?"

Maleficent glared at him. "For _my_ weakness," she snapped.

"Your daughter," Rumple clarified, unnecessarily.

She glared at him. " _Why_ isn't it working?"

He laughed. "My dear Maleficent. If it were that simple, I would have lost any use for that gauntlet long ago. No. Unfortunately for you, that object is still constrained by all the usual laws of magic. Including the boundaries between realms. Including," he paused for dramatic effect, "the Storybrooke town line."

Mal's face went slack. Oh, she'd always been the cleverest of the trio — she knew what was coming. But she asked anyway: "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that as long as the laws of magic remain as they are…that gauntlet cannot point you to your daughter."

Ursula scoffed, half-submerged in her inflatable pool. One tentacle flicked water droplets across the room in annoyance. "Easy," she snapped. "So we take the thing across the town line and _then_ ask it for Mal's weakness."

Rumple stared at her. "Would you like a moment to think about what you just said?"

The Sea Witch evidently didn't take the hint. "I said, take it across the town line and — oh."

"Such a quick learner. I knew you'd get it eventually," he taunted.

"You're ridiculous," Maleficent spat. "If my daughter is in a land without magic, then this stupid glove is useless!"

"Ah, ah, ah," Rumplestiltskin smirked. "You weren't listening. I said, _as long as the laws of magic remain intact…_ " He strode to the fireplace and took a seat in a brown leather armchair, pleased to see that Cruella, even from several feet away on the couch, flinched away from him.

"No one can change the laws of magic. Not even you, Dark One," Ursula said disdainfully.

" _Actually_ ," he said, drawing out the syllables exaggeratedly, "two of my students — or, one of my students and one of my student's students — managed it."

Maleficent frowned. "Regina?"

"Oh, how I wish that were so. No. Her far more powerful and far more deranged sister, Zelena, once opened a time portal. With my help, naturally." _That_ was stretching it a bit…but still technically true. "And Anastasia Tremaine was a former apprentice of Cora's. I have it from a reliable source that Tremaine was brought back to life, then magically compelled to love another."

_And if that can be done, then it must also be possible to alter the price of magic…and thereby reverse the darkness in my heart…_

There was a long pause as his words sunk in.

"So you're suggesting we do that too. That we…change the laws of magic," Maleficent murmured, turning the gauntlet over in her hands.

Rumple nodded, staring coolly into the fireplace, letting his plan sink in. Sometimes silence was better.

The three witches exchanged looks. Rumple cursed to himself. _I'll have to fix that. They need to think the four of us are a team_.

"All right," Maleficent said at long last. "We'll do it."

"Good, we're in agreement," Rumple said, and it really _was_ a challenge to sound like he didn't care at all. Not like his life hinged on their accord, or anything.

"Here," Maleficent took the gauntlet from Cruella and offered it back to him. Probably didn't want him holding it over her head in the future. _She has more foresight than Regina, at least._

"Oh, no," he said, holding up a hand. "Consider it a gesture of goodwill from me to you. Keep the thing, melt it down, trade it, sell it — Cruella, I understand your finances weren't in the best state when you left" — he smirked — "but on one condition."

"Rumple, darling," Cruella said, admiring the gauntlet from all angles in the firelight, "an amateur mistake, really. You never hand over the merchandise until you're paid."

Rumple shrugged. "Perhaps I'm just confident that you'll do as I ask. It is, after all, something that benefits all of us." He paused.

Ursula sighed. "Fine, I'll take the bait. What do you want?"

"Easy. Use that gauntlet to find me one person's weakness. Just one." He smiled innocently. "Anastasia Tremaine."

Maleficent hesitated, eyeing him suspiciously. "Even if Anastasia did — somehow — break the laws of magic," she said slowly. "What is her weakness and how will it help us?"

"You mean, _who_ is her weakness and how will _he_ help us?" Rumple asked, with far more glee and malice than he actually felt. "Why don't we follow that gauntlet and find out?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope nobody minds if I give Will Scarlet a bigger role in this. In my opinion, any S4 fix-it has to somehow justify his existence, and this is my way of doing that.
> 
> I wish I could do the Rumple redemption arc sooner. But since this chapter happens right after the last one, it didn't feel right to start that yet. And canon still has him in a very, very bad place. I *will* try to sort out my OTP's relationship issues eventually, I promise.
> 
> So…reviews, please! Your opinion *does* influence where the story goes. I have an outline, but there's wiggle room, and a fair part of the story's direction will still depend on audience reaction.

**Author's Note:**

> Might expand on this if there's enough interest...S4B is where the Rumbelle ship started depending on fix-its and AUs to keep it afloat.
> 
> Please leave comments, good or bad (or both)!


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